OK This weekend I am buying an EOS 40D and some lenses, budget is £1000. Now, I'd like: a) something small and light that covers a small amount of zoom down to a small amount of wide angle b) something that covers everyday use up to quite a lot of zoom but isn't too bulky and is reasonably fast and c) possibly something that can go into macro (nice but not essential). I used to quite enjoy low light conditions so faster (I know that doesnt exactly fit in with my budget) stabilised lenses would probably be a boon?

So, is this two lenses, one lens or three and any suggestions that wouldn't break the bank? The IS kit lens for the 40D looks quite reasonable for one of the choices as a starter.

OK This weekend I am buying an EOS 40D and some lenses, budget is £1000. Now, I'd like: a) something small and light that covers a small amount of zoom down to a small amount of wide angle b) something that covers everyday use up to quite a lot of zoom but isn't too bulky and is reasonably fast and c) possibly something that can go into macro (nice but not essential). I used to quite enjoy low light conditions so faster (I know that doesnt exactly fit in with my budget) stabilised lenses would probably be a boon?

So, is this two lenses, one lens or three and any suggestions that wouldn't break the bank? The IS kit lens for the 40D looks quite reasonable for one of the choices as a starter.

If you're looking for a 1 lens fits all there will always be compromises however there are a few lenses that get close to achieving the impossible. I don't think your budget will get you a decent 2 lens kit.

I know everyone loves the nifty fifty, but the 35mm f/1.8 is a much better and far more useable lens for crop sensor cameras, but it is around £150-190, the 28mm is even better, alot sharper than both and some of the nicest colours I have seen including L lenses, but it is £250-300. Although this is the lens I use 95% of the time so worth every penny imho.

They will all deal with low light suituations without the need for a flash, although I find the 50mm too tight for using indoors really. But good for taking pics of faces only.

If it were me I would see what price Kerso could do the 40D kit for with the 28mm or 35mm prime.
Or just use the kit lens for a few weeks and then decide what area you need to improve on, without knowing what sort of photos you want to take it is hard to know what to buy. No point buying a big zoom if you get into street photograhy and people, and no point buying a really fast prime is you want to take pictures of birds etc.

You don't have much left in the budget after that, if you like fast lenses maybe a prime would be an option?

Remember that lenses will outlast several camera bodies so at your budget I think your money would go further if you went for the 400D/450D and spent more on lenses?

For low light is that indoor or outdoor? if indoor consider looking at a t 430EX, this can really help pics indoor with bounce flash

The trouble with these kit lenses is that they often are not very 'fast', ie. their maximum aperture is not very big. That lens has a max apeture of F4, which is pretty bad. With a lens like that, it'll be hard to get a narrow depth-of-field, so for example you wil struggle to take a photo of someone and have the background blurred. Also, if shooting in low light (eg indoors) you will have to use a slow shutter speed which means you can forget taking photos of anything that moves. Yes, you can increase your ISO setting, but then you'll get picture noise.

Digital lenses with decent maximum apertures can be pretty pricey, often pricey enough in fact to deter all but the most serious, or wealthy, amateur.

It's one of the many problems with digital SLRs - the lenses, if you want good ones, will kill you on cost. Of course, you can still take good photos with these kit lenses, you just have to be aware of the drawbacks.